1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of graphical user interface design. More specifically, the present invention relates to a graphical user interface including concentrically-disposed curvilinear menus.
2. Description of Related Background Art
Designers of graphical user interfaces have sought to create menus that are easy to use and are capable of presenting a varying number of options in an efficient and visually-interesting manner. Some design considerations have been how to simultaneously display a large number of options, how to treat hierarchically-related menu levels, how to identify user selections, and the like.
One common menu type is the “cascading” menu, which is ubiquitous in the personal computer art (e.g., the Windows® “Start” menu). In general, a cascading menu presents a columnar list of options from which a user may select. Once an option is selected, a second list of options may be displayed, typically to the right of, and below, the first list of options. In response to further selections, additional lists may be displayed that cascade down and to the right of previous lists until a last option level is reached.
Unfortunately, because cascading menus are so common, users do not generally perceive them to be visually interesting or entertaining. Moreover, cascading menus often make poor use of display space. Typically, all of the options are clustered together on the left side of the display, while the right side of the display is comparatively empty. In some cases, options may not be displayed because the menu is too long to fit on the display screen.
Cascading menus can also make it difficult to determine the sequence of selections (i.e. the “selection path”) that was taken to the currently-selected option. Trying to identify options that might have been selected may be difficult and/or confusing.
Accordingly, what is needed is a simple and intuitive menu that makes efficient use of display space and is more entertaining and visually interesting than standard cascading menus. What is also needed is a menu that clearly delineates the selection path taken by a user.